Fire-escape.



0. IHDE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED OCLZL [914- 1,153,622. Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

a: prion.

orro II-IDE, or 'IOPEKA, KANSAS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915..

Application filed October 24, 1914. Serial No. 868,423.

To aZZ 107mm it may concern: u

Be it known that I, OT'ro IHDE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to foldable ladders which are especially adapted to be used as a fire escape which is capable of being thrown out of a window to facilitate the exit of a person who may be detained in a burning building.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient foldable ladder which may be used for a number of different purposes without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is thought necessary, however, to only describe one use of the device, as it is obvious that the ladder may be used for a number of diflerent purposes.

Vith these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a building showing the improved ladder as being used as a fire escape in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the ladder. Fig. 3 is an end View of the ladder in its folded condition. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the ladder showing the manner in which an extension may be connected thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one of the links used in connection with the present invention. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through one of the connecting sleeves for securing the links together. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7, of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing an embodiment of one of the protector sleeves or connecting sleeves for the links. Fig. 9 is a transverse section through one of the connecting sleeves of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the present device comprises a foldable ladder which is formed of a plurality of rectangular links 1, each link being formed of a single strip of cable or wire as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The free ends of the links 1 are provided with interlocking eyes 2, and the ends of the wire or cable are twisted around the body of the cable as indicated at 3 for constituting an efficient connecting or securing means for the respective ends of the cable or link 1.

The respective links are connected by having their adjacent longitudinal portions passing through a metallic sleeve 4:, which sleeve extends the entire width of the links and constitutes a protector for the horizontal or transversely extending portions of the link 1. The links are so arranged as to have the connecting eyes of each link in a separate sleeve as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 so as to prevent the crowding of the connecting joints of the links into one sleeve. It will, therefore, be seen that these sleeves 1 will constitute a very efiicient protector for the connecting 'joints or eyes 2 of the links 1.

The upper sleeve 5 is supported by means of a supporting cable or wire 6, which cable or wire 6 is provided with an eye 7 at each end for engaging the links 8 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. These links 8 are carried by the bowed portions 9 of the yoke 10, and this yoke 10 is in turn supported upon any suitable support by means of a loop 11. It should be understood that this loop 11 may be secured to any suitable or desired place within a window frame or upon any suitable support for the purpose of efficiently supporting the ladder. A pulley supporting cable 12 is suspended from the yoke 10 and a pulley 13 is connected thereto. A cable 14 passes over the pulley 13, and at one end of this cable 14 is connected a plurality of snap hooks 15 carried by the lower link 16. The snap hooks 15 are connected to the lower link 16 by means of the eyes or links 17 as is clearly illustratedin Fig. 2 to permit the snap hooks 15 to be readily swung upon the ladder. The free end of the cable 14 may hang from the pulley 13 to allow the ladder to be raised by folding the lower end upwardly as the free end of the cable is drawn downwardly in order to cause the cable to pass Over the pulley 13. Should it be desired to form an extension for the ladder the snap hooks 15 are allowed to hang parallel with the side portions of the links 11 and eyes 18 may be connected thereto, which eyes 18 support the ladder 19 which is formed of a similar construction to the ladder just described and as is illustrated in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that each link 1 is pivotally connected to the adjacent link by means of the sleeve or tube 4:, and for this reason the ladder may be conveniently folded to the position shown in Fig. 3 by allowing the tubes or sleeves 4 to rest upon the top of each other similar to the position shown in Fig; 3. The cable 14 may then be wound around the pile of links to hold the same firmly together if so desired.

It, of course, is obvious that the present device may be used for any desired purpose such as for instance a ladder for pruning trees, for supporting a scaffold, or many other ways which are thought-unnecessary to mention as it is obvious that the device is susceptible to many other uses.

In Figs. 8 and 9 there is shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the sleeve is provided with a threaded cap 21 at each end for the purpose of supporting the rubber or cushion covering 22 adapted to be carried by the sleeve 20. This covering 22 will form an efiicient means for protecting the sleeve 4 especially when the ladder is used in cold weather where the metal is likely to retain the cold.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is 2- In a folding ladder of the class described, the combination of a yoke, said yoke formed from a single strand of wire and comprising a central loop having an eye coiled upon each side thereof, said loop being adapted to be attached to a supporting structure, a ladder secured to the'lower portions of said eyes, a cable fixedly secured to said eyes contiguous to the base of said loop, the curvatures of said eyes and loop being adapted to retain the elements connected thereto in their correct positions upon the yoke, thereby imparting an even strain to the yoke and thus prevent the same from pulling out of shape when the same is in use.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OTTO IHDE.

WVitnesses:

CLAUDE E. NEIL, TINKTON VESI-I.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

